NEW DELHI — Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has moved Supreme Court challenging a special court order summoning him as one of the accused in the coal scam case. He had been named as one of the accused on March 11 by Special CBI judge Bharat Parashar, who said he had found prima facie “incriminating circumstance” against Singh, and asked for him to present in court along with five others on April 8. The others include industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and ex-Coal Secretary PC Parakh.

PM Singh on Wednesday challenged the summons at the apex court on Wednesday, since a July 2014 order only allows any such appeals to the Supreme Court in this particular case.

The matter is likely to be mentioned for an early hearing on Thursday.

Earlier on Monday, Union Minister Hansraj Ahir, who was a whistleblower in the coal scam, had said he did not think that Singh was personally involved in it but the fact that scandal happened under his rule could not be overlooked.

"Summoning of the former PM (who was then also holding coal portfolio) as an accused is not a good sign. But the fact the coal scam has happened under his rule cannot be overlooked. Singh turned a blind eye to what was happening to save his chair or under pressure from his party," Ahir told reporters on Monday.